The Californiana Primer : Playlist

Here’s a draft I wrote on 8/16 when I started making this playlist,

“What is Californiana, anyway? I don’t know, sounds made up. A true California album does not need to be made by California natives or locals, it can simply have influences of traditional sounds associated with those made in Laurel Canyon in the 60s. Working with Thom Monahan, or working with someone who has worked with Thom Monahan, seems to help add a shimmering, sun-lit quality. It can be sad but there’s gotta be hope. Direct references to Los Angeles, beaches, surfing, canyons, boulevard, etc. aren’t necessary but they do increase the odds.
I don’t make the rules! Okay, I am making them up.”

“Californiana” is a label I spotted on iTunes used by the platform to describe Neal Casal’s No Wish to Reminisce. It suited his music and sound perfectly. Neal’s the reason I’m into what I’m into today- directly and indirectly, if he had a hand in it, I know I’m going to love it.

Californiana is the scene, man, it’s people who have been working together forever, playing music, sharing friendships, catching waves. You know what it is! It’s people who’ve been sharing influences and swapping records for most of their lives. This is the most exciting era in music, in my opinion, of a collaborative, communal, loving effort of people to make the most magical, gorgeous, perfect soundtracks to our lives. I tried hard to make it a tiny bit different from my usual playlists but just about everything I’ve created – my “desert drive,” my “beachy sunset,” my “birthday playlist” contains 90% songs from Beachwood Sparks-adjacent musicians. Anyway, here you go.